CAPSTONE PROJECTS: UNLEASHING IMAGINATION AND ENGAGING MINDS

CAPSTONE PROJECTS: UNLEASHING IMAGINATION AND ENGAGING MINDSMany new faculty may face challenges related to effective teaching techniques. Studentperception of good teaching may often be different from the instructors' opinions. Findingthe technique that merges the two perspectives can be challenging and vital. Project-based learning has been documented to be a guaranteed procedure for increasing students'interest in the taught topic, while developing skills that also often reward the instructorwith good student evaluations. We present the lessons learned in two capstone courses,along with received student feedback. Students chose projects to be developed mainly inour recently set up Applied Electrostatics Laboratory. Among other nanotechnologytechniques, the facility allows the production of micro and nanoparticles by means ofelectrosprays; it also allows nano-fiber production by means of electrospinning. Thelaboratory was developed from scratch within the last four years; with the institutionalacquisition of a new scanning electron microscope, it has become a potentiallycompetitive research laboratory. Undergraduates are thrilled by the projects and theirfreedom to innovate and perform research. They perform outstanding work, presented atinternational conferences. Their attitude is also reflected in their evaluations of teachers.We are hopeful that our experience will provide useful ideas, particularly to new faculty.